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Detective Erika Foster #8
Lethal Vengeance
The man lay on his front, his arms and legs bound and pulled up with a rope connecting the two. His head was arched back, so he faced the curtains, and there was masking tape over his mouth. Erika gingerly reached out and checked his pulse.
Yep. Dead all right.
When Detective Erika Foster finds politician Neville Lomas naked, hog-tied, and dead in his own bed, skittish higher-ups at the Met quickly rule the death from natural causes. Case closed . . . until two months later when a well-known casting director and a star footballer are found murdered and tied with the same knots. The Met can no longer ignore what’s staring them in the face: there’s a serial killer loose in London, and they’re out to settle a score.
As Erika and her team investigate, things take a strange turn as CCTV footage turns up five female suspects . . . and they’re all identical.
In the hunt to identify the women, Erika is outpaced at every turn by an elusive sex worker with dirt on enough powerful men to make the Met’s top brass nervous – and desperate.
As time ticks away until the killer strikes again, it’s up to Erika to untangle the web of evidence and answer the critical questions: What ties the victims together, who else is caught up in this scandal, and how far are the higher-ups willing to go to protect their own?
Yep. Dead all right.
When Detective Erika Foster finds politician Neville Lomas naked, hog-tied, and dead in his own bed, skittish higher-ups at the Met quickly rule the death from natural causes. Case closed . . . until two months later when a well-known casting director and a star footballer are found murdered and tied with the same knots. The Met can no longer ignore what’s staring them in the face: there’s a serial killer loose in London, and they’re out to settle a score.
As Erika and her team investigate, things take a strange turn as CCTV footage turns up five female suspects . . . and they’re all identical.
In the hunt to identify the women, Erika is outpaced at every turn by an elusive sex worker with dirt on enough powerful men to make the Met’s top brass nervous – and desperate.
As time ticks away until the killer strikes again, it’s up to Erika to untangle the web of evidence and answer the critical questions: What ties the victims together, who else is caught up in this scandal, and how far are the higher-ups willing to go to protect their own?
432 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 7, 2024
About the author
Robert Bryndza
28 books6,627 followersRobert Bryndza is an international bestselling author, best known for his page-turning crime and thriller novels, which have sold over five million copies.
His crime debut, The Girl in the Ice was released in February 2016, introducing Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster. Within five months it sold one million copies, reaching number one in the Amazon UK, USA and Australian charts. To date, The Girl in the Ice has sold over 1.5 million copies in the English language and has been sold into translation in 29 countries. It was nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Mystery & Thriller (2016), the Grand prix des lectrices de Elle in France (2018), and it won two reader voted awards, The Thrillzone Awards best debut thriller in The Netherlands (2018) and The Dead Good Papercut Award for best page turner at the Harrogate Crime Festival (2016).
Robert has released a further six novels in the Erika Foster series, The Night Stalker, Dark Water, Last Breath, Cold Blood and Deadly Secrets, all of which have been global bestsellers, and in 2017 Last Breath was a Goodreads Choice Award nominee for Mystery and Thriller. Fatal Witness, is the seventh Erika Foster novel.
Most recently, Robert created a new crime thriller series based around the central character Kate Marshall, a police officer turned private detective. The first book, Nine Elms, was an Amazon USA #1 bestseller and an Amazon UK top five bestseller, and the series has been sold into translation in 18 countries. The second book in the series is the global bestselling, Shadow Sands, the third book is, Darkness Falls and the fourth, Devil’s Way has just been published.
Robert was born in Lowestoft, on the east coast of England. He studied at Aberystwyth University, and the Guildford School of Acting, and was an actor for several years, but didn’t find success until he took a play he’d written to the Edinburgh Festival. This led to the decision to change career and start writing. He self-published a bestselling series of romantic comedy novels, before switching to writing crime. Robert lives with his husband in Slovakia, and is lucky enough to write full-time.
You can find out more about Robert and his books at www.robertbryndza.com
His crime debut, The Girl in the Ice was released in February 2016, introducing Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster. Within five months it sold one million copies, reaching number one in the Amazon UK, USA and Australian charts. To date, The Girl in the Ice has sold over 1.5 million copies in the English language and has been sold into translation in 29 countries. It was nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Mystery & Thriller (2016), the Grand prix des lectrices de Elle in France (2018), and it won two reader voted awards, The Thrillzone Awards best debut thriller in The Netherlands (2018) and The Dead Good Papercut Award for best page turner at the Harrogate Crime Festival (2016).
Robert has released a further six novels in the Erika Foster series, The Night Stalker, Dark Water, Last Breath, Cold Blood and Deadly Secrets, all of which have been global bestsellers, and in 2017 Last Breath was a Goodreads Choice Award nominee for Mystery and Thriller. Fatal Witness, is the seventh Erika Foster novel.
Most recently, Robert created a new crime thriller series based around the central character Kate Marshall, a police officer turned private detective. The first book, Nine Elms, was an Amazon USA #1 bestseller and an Amazon UK top five bestseller, and the series has been sold into translation in 18 countries. The second book in the series is the global bestselling, Shadow Sands, the third book is, Darkness Falls and the fourth, Devil’s Way has just been published.
Robert was born in Lowestoft, on the east coast of England. He studied at Aberystwyth University, and the Guildford School of Acting, and was an actor for several years, but didn’t find success until he took a play he’d written to the Edinburgh Festival. This led to the decision to change career and start writing. He self-published a bestselling series of romantic comedy novels, before switching to writing crime. Robert lives with his husband in Slovakia, and is lucky enough to write full-time.
You can find out more about Robert and his books at www.robertbryndza.com
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December 19, 2023
Twisty police procedural about a serial killer who is out for revenge.
“It was always the stupid people who were so sure of themselves.”
Lethal Vengeance is the 8th book in the Detective Erika Foster series.
Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster happens to be having a romantic dinner with her partner when she stumbled upon the scene of the murder of a prominent politician. When his death becomes connected to a famous football star, Erika is warned not to investigate the case. Rather than take the threat lightly, Erika pushes boundaries and, in doing so, puts her job and her life at risk.
The narrative is primarily from Erika’s perspective who, even though she is a well-established detective, is struggling to find her place and is grappling with her future in the force. In addition to Erika’s POV, there are also chapters narrated by the mysterious Annabelle. I enjoyed these chapters as her cold, calculating character’s desire for revenge gradually took shape, and her voice drew me in.
The mystery of unraveling the killer’s identity has many layers, and the investigation goes deep. The intrigue surrounding the murders kept me turning the pages, and the tension and suspense continued to build, culminating in a wild showdown.
My major gripe is Brynzda’s constant reference to the characters' names multiple times in sentences and paragraphs drove me crazy as it was repetitive and overwrought. This element strained the narrative a bit as I was distracted by the overuse.
Despite my gripe with the writing, this was another solid addition to the series. The mystery is gripping, and Erika’s character continues to grow. Her relationship with Igor is cute, and I hope we see more of them in the next book.
TW: sexual assault
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Raven Street Publishing.
“It was always the stupid people who were so sure of themselves.”
Lethal Vengeance is the 8th book in the Detective Erika Foster series.
Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster happens to be having a romantic dinner with her partner when she stumbled upon the scene of the murder of a prominent politician. When his death becomes connected to a famous football star, Erika is warned not to investigate the case. Rather than take the threat lightly, Erika pushes boundaries and, in doing so, puts her job and her life at risk.
The narrative is primarily from Erika’s perspective who, even though she is a well-established detective, is struggling to find her place and is grappling with her future in the force. In addition to Erika’s POV, there are also chapters narrated by the mysterious Annabelle. I enjoyed these chapters as her cold, calculating character’s desire for revenge gradually took shape, and her voice drew me in.
The mystery of unraveling the killer’s identity has many layers, and the investigation goes deep. The intrigue surrounding the murders kept me turning the pages, and the tension and suspense continued to build, culminating in a wild showdown.
My major gripe is Brynzda’s constant reference to the characters' names multiple times in sentences and paragraphs drove me crazy as it was repetitive and overwrought. This element strained the narrative a bit as I was distracted by the overuse.
Despite my gripe with the writing, this was another solid addition to the series. The mystery is gripping, and Erika’s character continues to grow. Her relationship with Igor is cute, and I hope we see more of them in the next book.
TW: sexual assault
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Raven Street Publishing.
January 14, 2024
Lethal Vengeance
by Robert Bryndza is an excellent police procedural novel featuring Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster. In this eighth book in the series set in London, Foster finds politician Neville Lomas dead in his own apartment. However, the case is taken from her and quickly ruled as a death from natural causes. The case is closed until two months later when more deaths that are similar in nature occur. Foster isn’t about to let these cases be ignored.
Foster is principled and tends to go against authority if she feels they’re not doing what’s right. She has a direct manner, gets results, and is well respected by her team. However, because she occasionally bucks authority, her career feels stalled. The other characters are well defined as well, with a set of repeat characters from previous books along with new ones related to the cases in this story line. While most of the story is from Foster’s point of view, there are occasionally chapters from the point of view of the killer including some flashback scenes.
The plot is twisty, deeply involved, and intense at times. It quickly builds momentum as the plot twists and turns and higher-ups try to contain the investigation. There are unpredictable moments in the story that are unsettling. It’s well-written and flows well as readers gain insight into the thoughts, behaviors, and actions towards others of both Foster and the killer. My only quibble is that while the main mystery was solved, a couple of items were left open at the ending that I wanted answered. Themes include murder, guilt, revenge, political maneuvering, ethics, relationships, trust, responsibilities, and much more.
Overall, this gripping and complex police procedural has good characterization and a plot that keeps readers turning the pages to see what will happen next. While this is the first book in the series I have read, it worked as a standalone novel for me. However, I’m looking forward to reading more from this author and want to read the earlier books in the series as well as the ninth one when it is available.
Raven Street Publishing and Robert Bryndza provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for February 08, 2024.
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My 4.34 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
Foster is principled and tends to go against authority if she feels they’re not doing what’s right. She has a direct manner, gets results, and is well respected by her team. However, because she occasionally bucks authority, her career feels stalled. The other characters are well defined as well, with a set of repeat characters from previous books along with new ones related to the cases in this story line. While most of the story is from Foster’s point of view, there are occasionally chapters from the point of view of the killer including some flashback scenes.
The plot is twisty, deeply involved, and intense at times. It quickly builds momentum as the plot twists and turns and higher-ups try to contain the investigation. There are unpredictable moments in the story that are unsettling. It’s well-written and flows well as readers gain insight into the thoughts, behaviors, and actions towards others of both Foster and the killer. My only quibble is that while the main mystery was solved, a couple of items were left open at the ending that I wanted answered. Themes include murder, guilt, revenge, political maneuvering, ethics, relationships, trust, responsibilities, and much more.
Overall, this gripping and complex police procedural has good characterization and a plot that keeps readers turning the pages to see what will happen next. While this is the first book in the series I have read, it worked as a standalone novel for me. However, I’m looking forward to reading more from this author and want to read the earlier books in the series as well as the ninth one when it is available.
Raven Street Publishing and Robert Bryndza provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for February 08, 2024.
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My 4.34 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
December 9, 2023
Erika Foster is back!!!! Woohoo!!! I was so excited to see that Robert Bryndza had written a new book in this killer series! The wait was worth it! Lethal Vengeance was gripping, shocking, tense, well written, and thrilling. All the things that I have come to expect from Bryndza!
Erika Foster needed to take a breather while on a posh date with her boyfriend. She goes outside and when she is ready to go back to dinner, makes the mistake of going through the wrong door. She follows a commotion and finds Neville Lomas naked, hog-tied, and dead in his own bed. His will not be the first death. There will be other men who are found dead in the same manner. When CCTV shows 5 women who look and dress the same, Erika knows she is on to something. Am I the only one who immediately flashed to Robert Palmer's Addicted to Love music video? I digress....
Erika and her team are on the hunt for a killer as the tension, suspense, and sense of mounting danger ramps into high gear! The killer does what killer do - keeps killing. Will Erika solve this case, or will the Killer get away with murder??? It was so much fun reading to find out.
I really liked that the killer was intelligent and had so many things worked out. This was a real cat-and-mouse that had me worried. Erika isn't just trying to catch a killer, she is going up against the brass who want her to back down, but Erika is not one to let sleeping dogs lie.
I really like Erika (in case you didn't get that vibe). She is intelligent, tough, smart, vulnerable, assertive, caring and has some fun retorts to the higher ups. I love reading her thoughts as she carries on about her business. In this book, readers also see some of her personal life as well.
This is such a great series and is still going strong. I am happy to say that this book can be read as a stand-alone but with a series this good, I highly suggest reading them all. When I first read The Girl in the Ice years ago, I was blown away but not only the book but the writing.
Well written, gripping, hard to put down, and tense! If you have not read a book by Robert Bryndza, you need to remedy that!
Thank you to Raven Street Publishing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Erika Foster needed to take a breather while on a posh date with her boyfriend. She goes outside and when she is ready to go back to dinner, makes the mistake of going through the wrong door. She follows a commotion and finds Neville Lomas naked, hog-tied, and dead in his own bed. His will not be the first death. There will be other men who are found dead in the same manner. When CCTV shows 5 women who look and dress the same, Erika knows she is on to something. Am I the only one who immediately flashed to Robert Palmer's Addicted to Love music video? I digress....
Erika and her team are on the hunt for a killer as the tension, suspense, and sense of mounting danger ramps into high gear! The killer does what killer do - keeps killing. Will Erika solve this case, or will the Killer get away with murder??? It was so much fun reading to find out.
I really liked that the killer was intelligent and had so many things worked out. This was a real cat-and-mouse that had me worried. Erika isn't just trying to catch a killer, she is going up against the brass who want her to back down, but Erika is not one to let sleeping dogs lie.
I really like Erika (in case you didn't get that vibe). She is intelligent, tough, smart, vulnerable, assertive, caring and has some fun retorts to the higher ups. I love reading her thoughts as she carries on about her business. In this book, readers also see some of her personal life as well.
This is such a great series and is still going strong. I am happy to say that this book can be read as a stand-alone but with a series this good, I highly suggest reading them all. When I first read The Girl in the Ice years ago, I was blown away but not only the book but the writing.
Well written, gripping, hard to put down, and tense! If you have not read a book by Robert Bryndza, you need to remedy that!
Thank you to Raven Street Publishing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
January 30, 2024
Lethal Vengeance (Detective Erika Foster, #8) by Robert Bryndza
Synopsis /
The man lay on his front, his arms and legs bound and pulled up with a rope connecting the two. His head was arched back, so he faced the curtains, and there was masking tape over his mouth. Erika gingerly reached out and checked his pulse.
Yep. Dead all right.
When Detective Erika Foster finds politician Neville Lomas naked, hog-tied, and dead in his own bed, skittish higher-ups at the Met quickly rule the death from natural causes. Case closed . . . until two months later when a well-known casting director and a star footballer are found murdered and tied with the same knots. The Met can no longer ignore what’s staring them in the face: there’s a serial killer loose in London, and they’re out to settle a score.
As Erika and her team investigate, things take a strange turn as CCTV footage turns up five female suspects . . . and they’re all identical.
In the hunt to identify the women, Erika is outpaced at every turn by an elusive sex worker with dirt on enough powerful men to make the Met’s top brass nervous – and desperate.
As time ticks away until the killer strikes again, it’s up to Erika to untangle the web of evidence and answer the critical questions: What ties the victims together, who else is caught up in this scandal, and how far are the higher-ups willing to go to protect their own?
My Thoughts /
First and foremost, a huge THANK YOU to NetGalley, Raven Street Publishing and author, Robert Bryndza for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review. Publication date is currently set for February 08, 2024.
If you follow along with this reader's review ramblings, you probably will have noticed that I bang on about reading 'in order'. And I do, I admit, well, bang on about it. So, it's about now that I must let you in on a confession. As I put my fingers to the keyboard to tell you all about Robert Bryndza's latest addition to the hugely addictive, Detective Erika Foster series, book #8 Lethal Vengeance….DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO. Yes, I confess that I have been reading this series out of order. [If you were thinking it was going to be something more salacious, sorry to disappoint!]
It's a testament to Bryndza's writing style that I've been able to read this series out of order.
🌟Brilliant pacing
🌟Enthralling storyline
🌟An excellent police procedural investigation (which focuses on the use of procedure and its officers)
🌟A strong and impassioned FMC
🌟Killer characters
🌟Enough backstory so that you never feel left behind
Calling all die hard police procedural crime lovers, there's a serial killer loose on the streets of London. First, conservative MP, Neville Lomas, aged 66. Officers from the Met Police were called to his central London apartment, where he was found unresponsive. Initially, his death was not thought to be suspicious. Then, the body of footballer, Jamie Teague, was found in his apartment in the new Greenwich One complex. Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster of Lewisham Row Police Station happened to be the first responding officer for each callout. Both victims were high profile. Both victims were bound and tied in the same way and found dead in their beds. But the similarities didn't end there. A series of photographs of the victim, each in various states of pose, were left at each crime scene, and all photographs had the name Annabelle written on them.
When DCI Foster searches the databases for similar crime scene scenarios, she turns up a third victim. Certain of her intuition that she is now hunting a serial, Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster, and her team (Detective Inspector Kate Moss, Detective Inspector James Peterson and Detective John McGorry) must use their combined skills and work as a team to catch the killer.
Now 50, DCI Foster is beginning to feel like a 'dinosaur' compared with her much younger colleagues. But Foster knows her worth, and she's not backward in coming forward to the Met's top brass that she still has what it takes. She was born to do this job. She's bold and calculating, she's opinionated, but she owns up to her flaws and this is part of what makes her extremely likeable and a great mentor.
Whilst I am a voracious reader, I'm not a fast reader, so it says a lot about a book when I finished it in one day. Short and punchy chapters, with the odd one interspersed from the POV of the killer will keep you riveted to the page. This is a cleverly crafted plot, filled with a good number of twists and surprises.
If you haven't had a chance to read this series, I recommend that you start with book 1 The Girl in the Ice; and yes, I have read that one!
So, for my final words on the subject? A hugely satisfying read that can be easily read as a stand-alone, but it always helps to read the previous books to learn the context of the individuals and their backstory!!!!!
Synopsis /
The man lay on his front, his arms and legs bound and pulled up with a rope connecting the two. His head was arched back, so he faced the curtains, and there was masking tape over his mouth. Erika gingerly reached out and checked his pulse.
Yep. Dead all right.
When Detective Erika Foster finds politician Neville Lomas naked, hog-tied, and dead in his own bed, skittish higher-ups at the Met quickly rule the death from natural causes. Case closed . . . until two months later when a well-known casting director and a star footballer are found murdered and tied with the same knots. The Met can no longer ignore what’s staring them in the face: there’s a serial killer loose in London, and they’re out to settle a score.
As Erika and her team investigate, things take a strange turn as CCTV footage turns up five female suspects . . . and they’re all identical.
In the hunt to identify the women, Erika is outpaced at every turn by an elusive sex worker with dirt on enough powerful men to make the Met’s top brass nervous – and desperate.
As time ticks away until the killer strikes again, it’s up to Erika to untangle the web of evidence and answer the critical questions: What ties the victims together, who else is caught up in this scandal, and how far are the higher-ups willing to go to protect their own?
My Thoughts /
First and foremost, a huge THANK YOU to NetGalley, Raven Street Publishing and author, Robert Bryndza for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review. Publication date is currently set for February 08, 2024.
If you follow along with this reader's review ramblings, you probably will have noticed that I bang on about reading 'in order'. And I do, I admit, well, bang on about it. So, it's about now that I must let you in on a confession. As I put my fingers to the keyboard to tell you all about Robert Bryndza's latest addition to the hugely addictive, Detective Erika Foster series, book #8 Lethal Vengeance….DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO. Yes, I confess that I have been reading this series out of order. [If you were thinking it was going to be something more salacious, sorry to disappoint!]
It's a testament to Bryndza's writing style that I've been able to read this series out of order.
🌟Brilliant pacing
🌟Enthralling storyline
🌟An excellent police procedural investigation (which focuses on the use of procedure and its officers)
🌟A strong and impassioned FMC
🌟Killer characters
🌟Enough backstory so that you never feel left behind
Calling all die hard police procedural crime lovers, there's a serial killer loose on the streets of London. First, conservative MP, Neville Lomas, aged 66. Officers from the Met Police were called to his central London apartment, where he was found unresponsive. Initially, his death was not thought to be suspicious. Then, the body of footballer, Jamie Teague, was found in his apartment in the new Greenwich One complex. Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster of Lewisham Row Police Station happened to be the first responding officer for each callout. Both victims were high profile. Both victims were bound and tied in the same way and found dead in their beds. But the similarities didn't end there. A series of photographs of the victim, each in various states of pose, were left at each crime scene, and all photographs had the name Annabelle written on them.
When DCI Foster searches the databases for similar crime scene scenarios, she turns up a third victim. Certain of her intuition that she is now hunting a serial, Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster, and her team (Detective Inspector Kate Moss, Detective Inspector James Peterson and Detective John McGorry) must use their combined skills and work as a team to catch the killer.
Now 50, DCI Foster is beginning to feel like a 'dinosaur' compared with her much younger colleagues. But Foster knows her worth, and she's not backward in coming forward to the Met's top brass that she still has what it takes. She was born to do this job. She's bold and calculating, she's opinionated, but she owns up to her flaws and this is part of what makes her extremely likeable and a great mentor.
Whilst I am a voracious reader, I'm not a fast reader, so it says a lot about a book when I finished it in one day. Short and punchy chapters, with the odd one interspersed from the POV of the killer will keep you riveted to the page. This is a cleverly crafted plot, filled with a good number of twists and surprises.
If you haven't had a chance to read this series, I recommend that you start with book 1 The Girl in the Ice; and yes, I have read that one!
So, for my final words on the subject? A hugely satisfying read that can be easily read as a stand-alone, but it always helps to read the previous books to learn the context of the individuals and their backstory!!!!!
April 19, 2024
The eighth book in this excellent series features a serial killer with a plan to gain revenge on everyone who has impacted her troubled life. I lost count of the actual number of dead bodies but it was quite a few. This is one of those books that you cannot put down once you have begun it.
It is a tough case to crack but with Detective Erika Foster and her team on the case it should not have seemed impossible. However there are unseen obstacles which Erika discovers are deliberate cover ups by higher ups, including some she had respected. Erika however is stubborn and dedicated to the truth and she continues to investigate in any way she can.
The ending is nothing short of brilliant. I assume another book is on the way because I desperately want to know what happens next.
It is a tough case to crack but with Detective Erika Foster and her team on the case it should not have seemed impossible. However there are unseen obstacles which Erika discovers are deliberate cover ups by higher ups, including some she had respected. Erika however is stubborn and dedicated to the truth and she continues to investigate in any way she can.
The ending is nothing short of brilliant. I assume another book is on the way because I desperately want to know what happens next.
July 19, 2024
This is book 8 in a fantastic series,I enjoy reading this series..Erika Foster and her team investigating a high profile murders a MP then a footballer is murdered,who murdered them a serial killer will they catch the person who killed them..my rating is 3.5 rounded to four as enjoyed his other storylines abit better..looking forward to reading the next instalment....
November 20, 2023
First of all, yay for a new Erika Foster book!! I am a long time fan of this series and it always exciting to have a new book to devour. This is book 8 in this series but it can easily be read as a stand alone. I have no doubt though, that you will want to go back and read the other 7 books as they are all amazing.
Lethal Vengeance..just brilliant. High profile murders across London that Erika and her team have linked to be the same killer. A smart killer who leaves no fingerprints, no CCTV. The more the team look, the darker these murders become. Why these people? Erika has to deal with the top brass trying to silence her, as well as government departments not wanting details to get out. Of course. Erika being who she is does what she wants, when she wants.
I couldn’t have loved this book more. It had me hooked and wanting more with every page. A truly engrossing book and I am ready for book 9 already. Published on February 8th, he this on your TBR now..
Lethal Vengeance..just brilliant. High profile murders across London that Erika and her team have linked to be the same killer. A smart killer who leaves no fingerprints, no CCTV. The more the team look, the darker these murders become. Why these people? Erika has to deal with the top brass trying to silence her, as well as government departments not wanting details to get out. Of course. Erika being who she is does what she wants, when she wants.
I couldn’t have loved this book more. It had me hooked and wanting more with every page. A truly engrossing book and I am ready for book 9 already. Published on February 8th, he this on your TBR now..
February 18, 2024
LETHAL VENGEANCE, a serial crime thriller killer case, is the 8th book in the Detective Erika Foster series by bestseller author, Robert Bryndza. Having read all his previous books in the series, I couldn’t wait to continue with the series. They keep getting better. I was so involved in this story that I resented any interruptions. Just leave me alone and let me read! I loved this book!
Detective Erika Foster
1. The Girl in the Ice (2016)
2. The Night Stalker (2016)
3. Dark Water (2016)
4. Last Breath (2017)
5. Cold Blood (2017)
6. Deadly Secrets (2018)
7. Fatal Witness (2022)
8. Lethal Vengeance (2024)
This is my review of Lethal Vengeance.
DCI Erika Foster of the London Metropolitan Police is back leading the investigation with her team including; DI Moss, DI James Peterson, Detective John McGorry and Sergeant Crane.
Erika’s husband, Mark had also been a police officer, who had died on the job over nine years ago during a botched drug raid. Now Erika is dating Igor, recently divorced who has a sixteen-year-old son, Tom.
DCI Erika Foster is called away to a crime scene of a politician Neville Lomas that was found naked, hog-tied, and dead in his own bed. The higher-ups at the Met rule the death from natural causes…to close the high-level case. The pathologist ruled the death as “open verdict”. Neville Lomas was known to engage in dangerous and violent sex acts.
Then two months later a call comes in of a body of a twenty-three-year-old footballer male, Jamie Teague, who had been murdered in his luxury apartment and tied with the same knots. His death is ruled suspicious. Then soon after a well-known casting director, Terry DeVille was found murdered in the same manner.
All the victims had been left with envelopes containing Polaroid photos of the victims…all signed with the name “Annabelle”? Who is Annabelle?
There was a serial killer loose in London, and Erika and her team must find the killer before he strikes again.
As Erika and her team investigate, they discover a CCTV footage of five female suspects . . . and they’re all identical.
Erika and her team hunt to identify the women, and untangle the web of evidence and scandal…that makes the Met’s top brass nervous.
Gripping, tense and impossible to put down, Lethal Vengeance will have you on the edge of your seat, racing to the final page.
In this novel there was a nice mix of work and personal life for all the characters. Having read all Mr. Bryndza’s novels, it is a treat to follow this series and the journey of the development of the characters. I highly recommend both this series and this novel.
Many thanks to the author and Raven Street Publishing via NetGalley for my digital copy.
Detective Erika Foster
1. The Girl in the Ice (2016)
2. The Night Stalker (2016)
3. Dark Water (2016)
4. Last Breath (2017)
5. Cold Blood (2017)
6. Deadly Secrets (2018)
7. Fatal Witness (2022)
8. Lethal Vengeance (2024)
This is my review of Lethal Vengeance.
DCI Erika Foster of the London Metropolitan Police is back leading the investigation with her team including; DI Moss, DI James Peterson, Detective John McGorry and Sergeant Crane.
Erika’s husband, Mark had also been a police officer, who had died on the job over nine years ago during a botched drug raid. Now Erika is dating Igor, recently divorced who has a sixteen-year-old son, Tom.
DCI Erika Foster is called away to a crime scene of a politician Neville Lomas that was found naked, hog-tied, and dead in his own bed. The higher-ups at the Met rule the death from natural causes…to close the high-level case. The pathologist ruled the death as “open verdict”. Neville Lomas was known to engage in dangerous and violent sex acts.
Then two months later a call comes in of a body of a twenty-three-year-old footballer male, Jamie Teague, who had been murdered in his luxury apartment and tied with the same knots. His death is ruled suspicious. Then soon after a well-known casting director, Terry DeVille was found murdered in the same manner.
All the victims had been left with envelopes containing Polaroid photos of the victims…all signed with the name “Annabelle”? Who is Annabelle?
There was a serial killer loose in London, and Erika and her team must find the killer before he strikes again.
As Erika and her team investigate, they discover a CCTV footage of five female suspects . . . and they’re all identical.
Erika and her team hunt to identify the women, and untangle the web of evidence and scandal…that makes the Met’s top brass nervous.
Gripping, tense and impossible to put down, Lethal Vengeance will have you on the edge of your seat, racing to the final page.
In this novel there was a nice mix of work and personal life for all the characters. Having read all Mr. Bryndza’s novels, it is a treat to follow this series and the journey of the development of the characters. I highly recommend both this series and this novel.
Many thanks to the author and Raven Street Publishing via NetGalley for my digital copy.
February 8, 2024
Detective Erika Foster is back in the eigth installment of Robert Bryndza's exciting series. This one will keep you guessing.
Description:
The man lay on his front, his arms and legs bound and pulled up with a rope connecting the two. His head was arched back, so he faced the curtains, and there was masking tape over his mouth. Erika gingerly reached out and checked his pulse.
Yep. Dead all right.
When Detective Erika Foster finds politician Neville Lomas naked, hog-tied, and dead in his own bed, skittish higher-ups at the Met quickly rule the death from natural causes. Case closed . . . until two months later when a well-known casting director and a star footballer are found murdered and tied with the same knots. The Met can no longer ignore what’s staring them in the face: there’s a serial killer loose in London, and they’re out to settle a score.
As Erika and her team investigate, things take a strange turn as CCTV footage turns up five female suspects . . . and they’re all identical.
In the hunt to identify the women, Erika is outpaced at every turn by an elusive sex worker with dirt on enough powerful men to make the Met’s top brass nervous – and desperate.
As time ticks away until the killer strikes again, it’s up to Erika to untangle the web of evidence and answer the critical questions: What ties the victims together, who else is caught up in this scandal, and how far are the higher-ups willing to go to protect their own?
My Thoughts:
This one has a dramatic and fast-paced plot. The hidden political agenda adds to the tension. Erika is having trouble keeping up as it seems she is always one step behind. I really enjoy this series, and it just keeps getting better as we know more about Erika's life and her cases. It is difficult to tie the victims together in this investigation and Erika is thwarted by political roadblocks that are difficult to circumvent. Definitely an engrossing read.
Thanks to Raven Street Publishing through Netgalley for an advance copy.
Description:
The man lay on his front, his arms and legs bound and pulled up with a rope connecting the two. His head was arched back, so he faced the curtains, and there was masking tape over his mouth. Erika gingerly reached out and checked his pulse.
Yep. Dead all right.
When Detective Erika Foster finds politician Neville Lomas naked, hog-tied, and dead in his own bed, skittish higher-ups at the Met quickly rule the death from natural causes. Case closed . . . until two months later when a well-known casting director and a star footballer are found murdered and tied with the same knots. The Met can no longer ignore what’s staring them in the face: there’s a serial killer loose in London, and they’re out to settle a score.
As Erika and her team investigate, things take a strange turn as CCTV footage turns up five female suspects . . . and they’re all identical.
In the hunt to identify the women, Erika is outpaced at every turn by an elusive sex worker with dirt on enough powerful men to make the Met’s top brass nervous – and desperate.
As time ticks away until the killer strikes again, it’s up to Erika to untangle the web of evidence and answer the critical questions: What ties the victims together, who else is caught up in this scandal, and how far are the higher-ups willing to go to protect their own?
My Thoughts:
This one has a dramatic and fast-paced plot. The hidden political agenda adds to the tension. Erika is having trouble keeping up as it seems she is always one step behind. I really enjoy this series, and it just keeps getting better as we know more about Erika's life and her cases. It is difficult to tie the victims together in this investigation and Erika is thwarted by political roadblocks that are difficult to circumvent. Definitely an engrossing read.
Thanks to Raven Street Publishing through Netgalley for an advance copy.
July 24, 2024
Este é o tipo de leitura que não deixa marcas profundas, mas também não desilude.
Ideal para uma tarde preguiçosa, é um livro que cumpre o seu papel de entretenimento descomplicado.
O ponto alto do livro?
#CrimeNaAreia
Ideal para uma tarde preguiçosa, é um livro que cumpre o seu papel de entretenimento descomplicado.
O ponto alto do livro?
#CrimeNaAreia
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2023
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Robert Bryndza, and Raven Street Publhing for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
A fan of Robert Bryndza and his Erika Foster series, I excitedly reached for the next novel in the collection. Bryndza ends Foster’s hiatus with a great novel that ticks all the boxes and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. When a prominent politician is found bound and murdered, an investigation opens. However, it will take another prominent murder with a similar clue to really get things moving. Erika Foster is in the middle of it all as she tries to chase down leads and work with a new team member. Bryndza does well and captures all that I missed with Erika for the last few years.
When Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster discovers the body of a man who has been tied up and masking tape over his mouth, she cannot be sure if he is dead. A quick check for a pulse confirms what she thought. That this is MP Neville Lomas adds a certain concern to the discovery. After calling it in, a snarky beat cop arrives to begin collecting evidence. A call to the Met and DCI Foster is off the case, leaving a sour taste in her mouth. This is exacerbated when the death is ruled natural causes someone pressuring the medical examiner.
Two months later, a popular athlete is found in a similar situation with a collection of labelled Polaroids, same as MP Lomas. DCI Foster jumps at the case once more and discovers that there is some CCTV footage that could help. A group of five identically dressed women accompanied the athlete to his hotel room. Four later exited, leaving one as the suspected murderer. Detective Foster follows any lead she can and the hunt is on for the killer.
In a parallel narrative, a young girl is taken from her home and placed into foster care. She learns that life is anything but easy during her time in the system, which helps shape her into the woman she has become. She stays in the shadows, but has a story to tell and vengeance to dish out to those who cross her path. Will Detectives Chief Inspector Foster be able to locate her before it’s too late? Bryndza does a fabulous job with this story and shows why readers’ patience for new Erika Foster work has been worth it.
The work of Robert Bryndza has never failed to impress me. Be it the police work of Erika Foster or Kate Marshall, there is always something to enjoy. I love how Bryndza returns to this series as though no time had passed, keeping the reader fully engaged. With short chapters and a great narrative, the story moves along and keeps the reader fully engaged. The momentum build is apparent and the tension second to none.
Character development has been an ongoing thing for this series. Erika Foster has seen a great deal over her years, though Bryndza always finds ways to pepper in a little something readers do not know beforehand. Secondary characters are well presented and their backstories, particularly those essential to the novel, emerge and develop with ease. The same can be said of plot lines, where Bryndza creates and fosters (pardon the pun) these events, tossing in a twist or two along the way to keep it interesting. While it has been a few years since the last novel, it feels as though Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster is right where we left her.
Kudos, Mr. Bryndza, for your commitment and eagerness to keep this series alive.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A fan of Robert Bryndza and his Erika Foster series, I excitedly reached for the next novel in the collection. Bryndza ends Foster’s hiatus with a great novel that ticks all the boxes and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. When a prominent politician is found bound and murdered, an investigation opens. However, it will take another prominent murder with a similar clue to really get things moving. Erika Foster is in the middle of it all as she tries to chase down leads and work with a new team member. Bryndza does well and captures all that I missed with Erika for the last few years.
When Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster discovers the body of a man who has been tied up and masking tape over his mouth, she cannot be sure if he is dead. A quick check for a pulse confirms what she thought. That this is MP Neville Lomas adds a certain concern to the discovery. After calling it in, a snarky beat cop arrives to begin collecting evidence. A call to the Met and DCI Foster is off the case, leaving a sour taste in her mouth. This is exacerbated when the death is ruled natural causes someone pressuring the medical examiner.
Two months later, a popular athlete is found in a similar situation with a collection of labelled Polaroids, same as MP Lomas. DCI Foster jumps at the case once more and discovers that there is some CCTV footage that could help. A group of five identically dressed women accompanied the athlete to his hotel room. Four later exited, leaving one as the suspected murderer. Detective Foster follows any lead she can and the hunt is on for the killer.
In a parallel narrative, a young girl is taken from her home and placed into foster care. She learns that life is anything but easy during her time in the system, which helps shape her into the woman she has become. She stays in the shadows, but has a story to tell and vengeance to dish out to those who cross her path. Will Detectives Chief Inspector Foster be able to locate her before it’s too late? Bryndza does a fabulous job with this story and shows why readers’ patience for new Erika Foster work has been worth it.
The work of Robert Bryndza has never failed to impress me. Be it the police work of Erika Foster or Kate Marshall, there is always something to enjoy. I love how Bryndza returns to this series as though no time had passed, keeping the reader fully engaged. With short chapters and a great narrative, the story moves along and keeps the reader fully engaged. The momentum build is apparent and the tension second to none.
Character development has been an ongoing thing for this series. Erika Foster has seen a great deal over her years, though Bryndza always finds ways to pepper in a little something readers do not know beforehand. Secondary characters are well presented and their backstories, particularly those essential to the novel, emerge and develop with ease. The same can be said of plot lines, where Bryndza creates and fosters (pardon the pun) these events, tossing in a twist or two along the way to keep it interesting. While it has been a few years since the last novel, it feels as though Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster is right where we left her.
Kudos, Mr. Bryndza, for your commitment and eagerness to keep this series alive.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
November 17, 2023
Robert Bryndza is one of my all-time favourite crime thriller authors for an excellent reason. He knows exactly what the die hard crime thriller lover wants in a crime read. There’s no slow burning plots that take FOREVER to get into. The crimes are original, and Erika Foster the main protagonist, has all the qualities I love in a lead Detective. Lethal Vengeance is the eighth book in the series, and yet it still feels fresh, exciting and just as gripping as the previous books in the series.
There’s a serial killer loose in London. The victims are high profile; the victims left naked, hog-tied, and dead in their beds! Without giving too much away, the Met’s top brass seem hell bent on covering up certain events BUT how far are they willing to go to protect their own? The investigation is a tough one. Every line of enquiry seems to be manipulated by the powers that be. The reader gets a genuine sense of Erika’s frustrations, and her distrust of higher-ranking officers.
Erika is one of my favourite fictional detectives. She’s ballsy and opinionated and doesn’t play by the rules if it means she can bring a killer to justice! But we get a glimpse of her vulnerable side to her in this book. She feels like a ‘dinosaur’ compared to her younger counterparts. But do not fear, she’s still feisty, and she’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers along the way!
I appreciated the occasional chapters told from the killer’s POV. There’s something fascinating about finding out what motivates a killer! I couldn’t help but feel a smidgen of sympathy for this killer after I learnt their backstory. I appreciate a plot that veers towards the dark side. But it also has to be fuelled by tension, suspense and twists and surprises at every turn, which Robert Bryndza accomplishes with ease. Lethal Vengeance is a deliciously dark and twisted thriller that crime book junkies will devour in one hugely satisfying sitting. I cannot recommend this book enough or the whole series come to that!
Blog: https://thebookreviewcafe.wordpress.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebookrevi...
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@reviewcafe
There’s a serial killer loose in London. The victims are high profile; the victims left naked, hog-tied, and dead in their beds! Without giving too much away, the Met’s top brass seem hell bent on covering up certain events BUT how far are they willing to go to protect their own? The investigation is a tough one. Every line of enquiry seems to be manipulated by the powers that be. The reader gets a genuine sense of Erika’s frustrations, and her distrust of higher-ranking officers.
Erika is one of my favourite fictional detectives. She’s ballsy and opinionated and doesn’t play by the rules if it means she can bring a killer to justice! But we get a glimpse of her vulnerable side to her in this book. She feels like a ‘dinosaur’ compared to her younger counterparts. But do not fear, she’s still feisty, and she’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers along the way!
I appreciated the occasional chapters told from the killer’s POV. There’s something fascinating about finding out what motivates a killer! I couldn’t help but feel a smidgen of sympathy for this killer after I learnt their backstory. I appreciate a plot that veers towards the dark side. But it also has to be fuelled by tension, suspense and twists and surprises at every turn, which Robert Bryndza accomplishes with ease. Lethal Vengeance is a deliciously dark and twisted thriller that crime book junkies will devour in one hugely satisfying sitting. I cannot recommend this book enough or the whole series come to that!
Blog: https://thebookreviewcafe.wordpress.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebookrevi...
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@reviewcafe
June 26, 2024
Vingança, de Robert Bryndza, é o oitavo livro da saga da inspetora chefe Erika Foster, que nos traz uma história (como sempre) viciante e com um ritmo rápido e fluido 😊
Adorei desde o início até ao fim, e ter capítulos narrados pela pessoa que é criminosa é sempre a cereja no topo do bolo 🍰 🥰.
Gosto também que o autor tenha explicado que tudo isto se passa depois da pandemia, sendo que passaram 3 anos desde o livro anterior , mostrando também as mudanças que aconteceram nas relações entre as personagens, ao longo desse tempo 😊 Erika Foster nunca falha .
Recomendo a leitura 📖
Adorei desde o início até ao fim, e ter capítulos narrados pela pessoa que é criminosa é sempre a cereja no topo do bolo 🍰 🥰.
Gosto também que o autor tenha explicado que tudo isto se passa depois da pandemia, sendo que passaram 3 anos desde o livro anterior , mostrando também as mudanças que aconteceram nas relações entre as personagens, ao longo desse tempo 😊 Erika Foster nunca falha .
Recomendo a leitura 📖
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 18, 2023
Well, what is so important when reading serial books, is read them all in order, from the start.
Robert Bryndza books are a series I have followed from the start, I enjoy the characters, especially the outspoken and sharp Erika Foster, and also her whole team.
The man lay on his front, his arms and legs bound and pulled up with a rope connecting the two. His head was arched back, so he faced the curtains, and there was masking tape over his mouth. Erika gingerly reached out and checked his pulse.
Yep. Dead all right.
When Detective Erika Foster finds politician Neville Lomas naked, hog-tied, and dead in his own bed, skittish higher-ups at the Met quickly rule the death from natural causes. Case closed . . . until two months later when a well-known casting director and a star footballer are found murdered and tied with the same knots. The Met can no longer ignore what’s staring them in the face: there’s a serial killer loose in London, and they’re out to settle a score.
As Erika and her team investigate, things take a strange turn as CCTV footage turns up five female suspects . . . and they’re all identical.
In the hunt to identify the women, Erika is outpaced at every turn by an elusive sex worker with dirt on enough powerful men to make the Met’s top brass nervous – and desperate.
As time ticks away until the killer strikes again, it’s up to Erika to untangle the web of evidence and answer the critical questions: What ties the victims together, who else is caught up in this scandal, and how far are the higher-ups willing to go to protect their own?
A terrific gripping, multi-layered thriller, a crime thriller, with her team, her private life, politics, characters who you are not sure are good or bad.
A clear four star.
Robert Bryndza books are a series I have followed from the start, I enjoy the characters, especially the outspoken and sharp Erika Foster, and also her whole team.
The man lay on his front, his arms and legs bound and pulled up with a rope connecting the two. His head was arched back, so he faced the curtains, and there was masking tape over his mouth. Erika gingerly reached out and checked his pulse.
Yep. Dead all right.
When Detective Erika Foster finds politician Neville Lomas naked, hog-tied, and dead in his own bed, skittish higher-ups at the Met quickly rule the death from natural causes. Case closed . . . until two months later when a well-known casting director and a star footballer are found murdered and tied with the same knots. The Met can no longer ignore what’s staring them in the face: there’s a serial killer loose in London, and they’re out to settle a score.
As Erika and her team investigate, things take a strange turn as CCTV footage turns up five female suspects . . . and they’re all identical.
In the hunt to identify the women, Erika is outpaced at every turn by an elusive sex worker with dirt on enough powerful men to make the Met’s top brass nervous – and desperate.
As time ticks away until the killer strikes again, it’s up to Erika to untangle the web of evidence and answer the critical questions: What ties the victims together, who else is caught up in this scandal, and how far are the higher-ups willing to go to protect their own?
A terrific gripping, multi-layered thriller, a crime thriller, with her team, her private life, politics, characters who you are not sure are good or bad.
A clear four star.
December 20, 2023
Robert Bryndza has become another “go to” author for me. This is the 8th in his DCI Erika Foster series.
When a naked man is discovered murdered, having been hog tied and humiliated, Erika is first on the scene. The victim is a top level politician and almost immediately the case is wrested away from Erika and his death ruled natural causes. Then a popular footballer is found dead in the same circumstances. As Erika investigates, she discovers an earlier case with the same MO. Clues suggest sex worker involvement and it seems the higher ups are trying to keep Erika quiet and out of the loop. Nothing, though, will keep Erika from her pursuit of the perpetrator.
I like fifty year old Erika, despite her propensity to being rather brash and often annoying to her superiors. They put up with her because her solve rate is outstanding. Told from two POVs, Erika’s and the killers, this is yet another riveting, can’t put down mystery/thriller from Bryndza. The focus here is on the relentless pursuit of the very clever criminal as well as unraveling the why of choice of victims. I really liked the shifting narratives that explained the motivation behind the crimes.
You always know with Bryndza’s books that there will be a well plotted story that will hook you from the beginning. This book can work as a standalone. By the way, I also like his series featuring private investigator Kate Marshall.
Thanks to #netgalley and #ravenstreetpublishing for the ARC.
When a naked man is discovered murdered, having been hog tied and humiliated, Erika is first on the scene. The victim is a top level politician and almost immediately the case is wrested away from Erika and his death ruled natural causes. Then a popular footballer is found dead in the same circumstances. As Erika investigates, she discovers an earlier case with the same MO. Clues suggest sex worker involvement and it seems the higher ups are trying to keep Erika quiet and out of the loop. Nothing, though, will keep Erika from her pursuit of the perpetrator.
I like fifty year old Erika, despite her propensity to being rather brash and often annoying to her superiors. They put up with her because her solve rate is outstanding. Told from two POVs, Erika’s and the killers, this is yet another riveting, can’t put down mystery/thriller from Bryndza. The focus here is on the relentless pursuit of the very clever criminal as well as unraveling the why of choice of victims. I really liked the shifting narratives that explained the motivation behind the crimes.
You always know with Bryndza’s books that there will be a well plotted story that will hook you from the beginning. This book can work as a standalone. By the way, I also like his series featuring private investigator Kate Marshall.
Thanks to #netgalley and #ravenstreetpublishing for the ARC.
February 8, 2024
Let me start by saying that this probably the best in the series so far, that is difficult as they have all been outstanding books, definitely one of those just one more chapter book.
As always the plot is well thought out and developed, with the usual twists, As the narrative shifts seamlessly from past to present as the reasons for the crimes are revealed.
This times, Erika must deal not only with the crimes, but pressures from her own bosses and Government departments trying to control what she can and can’t do. All at a time when Erika is querying where her career is going as she turns 50. Plus, developments with Igor and his family.
Erika’s world is complex, but I love being there. I did notice that there seemed to be slightly less involvement with /from her team this time, But only really when you look back at it later on.
As I said earlier this probably the best in this amazing series and I highly recommend reading them all. This may well have been the best book of 2023.
As always the plot is well thought out and developed, with the usual twists, As the narrative shifts seamlessly from past to present as the reasons for the crimes are revealed.
This times, Erika must deal not only with the crimes, but pressures from her own bosses and Government departments trying to control what she can and can’t do. All at a time when Erika is querying where her career is going as she turns 50. Plus, developments with Igor and his family.
Erika’s world is complex, but I love being there. I did notice that there seemed to be slightly less involvement with /from her team this time, But only really when you look back at it later on.
As I said earlier this probably the best in this amazing series and I highly recommend reading them all. This may well have been the best book of 2023.
January 13, 2024
Another year (well, give or take a few months), another installment of a favorite series. And as always, it doesn't disappoint. This time out, Detective Chief Inspector Erika Foster is out and about with her main squeeze, Igor, for a rare posh dinner. Worried about why he set up such a special occasion, she takes a time out at the loo and returns by way of a wrong door that puts her up close and personal with a dead body that's been left in a, shall we say, compromising position. Of course, Erika's not one to tiptoe away from a scene like that - but maybe she should have. Turns out the dead dude is a Conservative member of Parliament. Quicker than you can say trussed up, another top cop moves in, claiming the case for himself.
And it's downhill from there. Despite Erika's keen interest in pursuing what clearly was a murder, she's shut out at just about every level; clearly, someone high in the pecking order wants this case squelched. Facing obstacles at every turn, what's a DCI to do? She backs off - mostly - but her interest reignites with the discovery of another well-known body - and then another - both done in with the exact same M.O. Now, it's harder for the powers-that-be to shove things under the rug, although Erika must remain vigilant since she suspects her department has been infiltrated by a puppet whose strings are controlled by the aforementioned powers.
Besides some important clues found (left) at each crime scene, the best the investigation can turn up is a group of five females, dressed identically in all black, who appear to have been present at or around the time of the murders. But who they are, where they are now and whether they have any real connection to the deaths remains a mystery. With the higher-ups still insisting that Erika and her team back off, finding answers becomes a real challenge. And in between all this, Erika must deal with a boyfriend who isn't terribly happy with taking a back seat to the investigation for a variety of reasons.
It's a scramble to the finish, which leaves an intriguing cliffhanger that likely will carry over to the next one up (at least I hope so). I'll be waiting - and meantime I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy of this one. Well done!
And it's downhill from there. Despite Erika's keen interest in pursuing what clearly was a murder, she's shut out at just about every level; clearly, someone high in the pecking order wants this case squelched. Facing obstacles at every turn, what's a DCI to do? She backs off - mostly - but her interest reignites with the discovery of another well-known body - and then another - both done in with the exact same M.O. Now, it's harder for the powers-that-be to shove things under the rug, although Erika must remain vigilant since she suspects her department has been infiltrated by a puppet whose strings are controlled by the aforementioned powers.
Besides some important clues found (left) at each crime scene, the best the investigation can turn up is a group of five females, dressed identically in all black, who appear to have been present at or around the time of the murders. But who they are, where they are now and whether they have any real connection to the deaths remains a mystery. With the higher-ups still insisting that Erika and her team back off, finding answers becomes a real challenge. And in between all this, Erika must deal with a boyfriend who isn't terribly happy with taking a back seat to the investigation for a variety of reasons.
It's a scramble to the finish, which leaves an intriguing cliffhanger that likely will carry over to the next one up (at least I hope so). I'll be waiting - and meantime I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy of this one. Well done!
November 21, 2023
When Detective Erika Foster finds politician Neville Lomas naked, hog-tied, and dead in his own bed, skittish higher-ups at the Met quickly rule the death from natural causes. Case closed . . . until two months later when a well-known casting director and a star footballer are found murdered and tied with the same knots. The Met can no longer ignore what’s staring them in the face: there’s a serial killer loose in London, and they’re out to settle a score.
I have followed this series since the very beginning and will continue to follow Erica Foster and the team for any future books Robert Bryndza writes. Erica Foster is one of my favourite characters and in this book we also see more of her personal life as well as that of a Detective, I love her. She is strong, will push boundaries to achieve results and is absolutely dedicated to finding justice for the victims. She fights the hierarchy in the force and as she tells them, she gets results.
I think this is the best book so far in the series, the story is complex, dark and totally engaging. I picked it up late at night and kept reading until the early hours as I became totally engrossed in the story. I cannot recommend this book highly enough and can't wait for the next book. I read recently that Robert said he will continue to write this series while readers continue to enjoy the books and I will definitely continue to support his journey.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
I have followed this series since the very beginning and will continue to follow Erica Foster and the team for any future books Robert Bryndza writes. Erica Foster is one of my favourite characters and in this book we also see more of her personal life as well as that of a Detective, I love her. She is strong, will push boundaries to achieve results and is absolutely dedicated to finding justice for the victims. She fights the hierarchy in the force and as she tells them, she gets results.
I think this is the best book so far in the series, the story is complex, dark and totally engaging. I picked it up late at night and kept reading until the early hours as I became totally engrossed in the story. I cannot recommend this book highly enough and can't wait for the next book. I read recently that Robert said he will continue to write this series while readers continue to enjoy the books and I will definitely continue to support his journey.
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
December 18, 2023
This was such a good one! Erika is back with a new case. Some high profile people have been murdered, so of course, she’s being stonewalled by the higher ups. Is that going to stop Erika? Absolutely not. I think this was a formidable opponent that she was chasing. I honestly didn’t know if I was rooting for Erika or the killer to be honest. This was probably my favorite of the series & I would love seeing more from this particular killer & Erika. Great installment!
April 27, 2024
Wanneer rechercheur Erika Foster politicus Neville Lomas naakt, vastgebonden en dood in zijn bed aantreft, sturen de schichtige leidinggevenden van de Metropolitan Police aan op een natuurlijke dood. Zaak gesloten lijkt het. Totdat er twee maanden later een bekende casting director en een stervoetballer vermoord worden aangetroffen, vastgebonden met dezelfde soort knopen.
De zaken nemen een vreemde wending als camerabeelden vijf identieke vrouwelijke verdachten aan het licht brengen. In de jacht op de identificatie van deze vrouwen wordt Erika voorbijgestreefd door een onzichtbare sekswerker met gevoelige informatie die de top van de politie opvallend nerveus maakt.
'Dodelijke wraak' is de nieuwste thriller, en tevens het achtste deel, met Erika Foster in de hoofdrol. Deze serie vind ik echt geweldig, dus ik kon niet wachten om te beginnen met lezen!
Al redelijk snel wordt het eerste dode lichaam gevonden. Hij is op een bepaalde manier vastgebonden en er worden nog meer vreemde dingen op de plaats delict aangetroffen. Niet veel later vinden ze een tweede lichaam...
De spanning zit er dus vrijwel meteen al goed in en Erika raakt betrokken bij deze zaken. Je leest natuurlijk weer over Erika zelf, maar ook de relatie tussen haar verschillende collega's komt aan bod.
En dan stuiten ze op de camerabeelden van de vijf vreemde vrouwen. Ze lijken allemaal op elkaar en de vraag is of zij iets met de moorden te maken hebben. Dit vond ik ook een zeer interessant en mysterieus stuk.
Af en toe maak je trouwens ook sprongetjes naar het verleden en langzaamaan worden bepaalde dingen steeds duidelijker... ik kan hier natuurlijk niet teveel over vertellen.
'Dodelijke wraak' was zeker weer leuk om te lezen. Maar vond ik dit het beste deel? Nee, dat niet. De vondst van de lichamen was interessant, maar het plot zelf vond ik mwah. Ik heb sterkere verhalen uit deze serie gelezen. Natuurlijk kijk ik weer uit naar het volgende deel. Bryndza blijft namelijk één van mijn favoriete auteurs!
Verder wil ik @boekerij / @bestofthrillers heel erg bedanken voor het recensie-exemplaar!
Beoordeling: 3,5 / 4,0 ⭐️
De zaken nemen een vreemde wending als camerabeelden vijf identieke vrouwelijke verdachten aan het licht brengen. In de jacht op de identificatie van deze vrouwen wordt Erika voorbijgestreefd door een onzichtbare sekswerker met gevoelige informatie die de top van de politie opvallend nerveus maakt.
'Dodelijke wraak' is de nieuwste thriller, en tevens het achtste deel, met Erika Foster in de hoofdrol. Deze serie vind ik echt geweldig, dus ik kon niet wachten om te beginnen met lezen!
Al redelijk snel wordt het eerste dode lichaam gevonden. Hij is op een bepaalde manier vastgebonden en er worden nog meer vreemde dingen op de plaats delict aangetroffen. Niet veel later vinden ze een tweede lichaam...
De spanning zit er dus vrijwel meteen al goed in en Erika raakt betrokken bij deze zaken. Je leest natuurlijk weer over Erika zelf, maar ook de relatie tussen haar verschillende collega's komt aan bod.
En dan stuiten ze op de camerabeelden van de vijf vreemde vrouwen. Ze lijken allemaal op elkaar en de vraag is of zij iets met de moorden te maken hebben. Dit vond ik ook een zeer interessant en mysterieus stuk.
Af en toe maak je trouwens ook sprongetjes naar het verleden en langzaamaan worden bepaalde dingen steeds duidelijker... ik kan hier natuurlijk niet teveel over vertellen.
'Dodelijke wraak' was zeker weer leuk om te lezen. Maar vond ik dit het beste deel? Nee, dat niet. De vondst van de lichamen was interessant, maar het plot zelf vond ik mwah. Ik heb sterkere verhalen uit deze serie gelezen. Natuurlijk kijk ik weer uit naar het volgende deel. Bryndza blijft namelijk één van mijn favoriete auteurs!
Verder wil ik @boekerij / @bestofthrillers heel erg bedanken voor het recensie-exemplaar!
Beoordeling: 3,5 / 4,0 ⭐️
February 5, 2024
Lethal Vengeance by Robert Bryndza is the 8th in the Detective Erika Foster series.
First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Series Background: (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books)
DCI Erika Foster has not had it easy. Her husband Mark and most of her team was killed in a botched drug bust years ago, and although she is now re-acquainted with and dating her childhood sweetheart Igor, she is hesitant about moving on. She lives in her own home, which she bought and fixed up (with help from Igor). Her team consists of DI James Peterson (with whom Erika had a brief relationship), DI Kate Moss, Detective John McGorry, and Detective Crane. Their boss is Superintendent Melanie Hudson. The forensic psychologist is Isaac Strong, and he has become a good friend to Erika.
My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
In an effort to escape a romantic evening with Igor, Erika re-enters the hotel from a different door, only to find a maid trying to contact the police. There is a dead man, laying on the bed, naked, face-down, his arms and legs hog-tied behind him, tape over his mouth. It is politician Neville Lomas, and Erika is quickly removed from the case, presumably because it is out of her jurisdiction. The death is quickly ruled accidental. Erika doesn't buy it.
When Erika starts to investigate the death of a star football player, in a situation identical to Lomas, the powers that be don't really want to admit the similarities. But then she ties the deaths to a casting director, and they can't ignore the fact that they have a serial killer out there. But heads will roll, and Erika's hands will be tied.
My Opinions:
I think this was the first Erika Foster book that I struggled with. Don't get me wrong, it was good, but as soon as it became evident that there was going to be a political agenda, I became a little less enthused.
The story alternated between Erika and Annabelle, and this was done quite well. It was interesting to read the killers story and background. As always, Bryndza creates really good characters.
As well, it was interesting to see the relationship between Erika and Igor expanded, and to see her vulnerable.
I did not like the ending....it felt like a cliff-hanger, and when an author resorts to this, I feel like it is only to sell his next book. Not impressed.
Anyway, overall it was a good book, but (and I'm sure I'll be in the minority), not his greatest.
For a more complete review of this book and others (including the reason I chose to read/review this book, as well as author information), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
January 19, 2024
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Feb. 8, 2024
“Lethal Vengeance” is the eighth in the series of Robert Bryndza’s DCI Erika Foster novels. “The Girl in the Ice” was the first introduction to DCI Foster and her crew, and it hooked me from the start. I have had the privilege to read and review all of Bryndza’s Erika Foster novels, and if “Lethal Vengeance” isn’t the best one yet, it sure comes close!
A prominent government MP is found murdered- hog tied in his hotel room, with Polaroids of his death beside him, labeled only with a name, “Annabelle”. Erika Foster is first on the scene and immediately submerges herself into the investigation. Erika’s bosses and many other higher-ups want the death identified as “natural causes” and covered up. Until a famous footballer is found dead in the same way, with the same set of Polaroids. Going against direct orders, Erika is determined to find out who is behind the missing celebrities, and what their motive is.
For those of you not familiar with Bryndza, his novels are like many police procedurals in that you do not need to read his previous novels in the series in order to follow along. However, unlike many, Bryndza’s characters are intriguing and relatable, and their relationships are genuine and, at times, hilarious, and I recommend reading as many Erika Foster novels as you can. Erika continues to be a force to be reckoned with- solving crimes and taking names!
The plot of “Lethal Vengeance” focuses on bad men in power doing nasty things and getting their comeuppance. Due to this, there is no “bad guy” necessarily, as the person responsible is someone who, against my better judgment, gained my sympathy. Right from the beginning, we know who the responsible party was so there was no guessing game, but the creative path Foster takes to identify them is exceptionally unique (for example, “the glitch in the Matrix girls” was not only hilarious but an exceptional way to disguise the suspect!)
I am hopeful that Erika Foster will return in a ninth instalment, as I will definitely be jumping at the chance to read it. Bryndza continues to deliver with his Erika Foster series, and, after eight novels, I am still captivated by all that Foster has to offer and I’m left wanting more!
Expected publication date: Feb. 8, 2024
“Lethal Vengeance” is the eighth in the series of Robert Bryndza’s DCI Erika Foster novels. “The Girl in the Ice” was the first introduction to DCI Foster and her crew, and it hooked me from the start. I have had the privilege to read and review all of Bryndza’s Erika Foster novels, and if “Lethal Vengeance” isn’t the best one yet, it sure comes close!
A prominent government MP is found murdered- hog tied in his hotel room, with Polaroids of his death beside him, labeled only with a name, “Annabelle”. Erika Foster is first on the scene and immediately submerges herself into the investigation. Erika’s bosses and many other higher-ups want the death identified as “natural causes” and covered up. Until a famous footballer is found dead in the same way, with the same set of Polaroids. Going against direct orders, Erika is determined to find out who is behind the missing celebrities, and what their motive is.
For those of you not familiar with Bryndza, his novels are like many police procedurals in that you do not need to read his previous novels in the series in order to follow along. However, unlike many, Bryndza’s characters are intriguing and relatable, and their relationships are genuine and, at times, hilarious, and I recommend reading as many Erika Foster novels as you can. Erika continues to be a force to be reckoned with- solving crimes and taking names!
The plot of “Lethal Vengeance” focuses on bad men in power doing nasty things and getting their comeuppance. Due to this, there is no “bad guy” necessarily, as the person responsible is someone who, against my better judgment, gained my sympathy. Right from the beginning, we know who the responsible party was so there was no guessing game, but the creative path Foster takes to identify them is exceptionally unique (for example, “the glitch in the Matrix girls” was not only hilarious but an exceptional way to disguise the suspect!)
I am hopeful that Erika Foster will return in a ninth instalment, as I will definitely be jumping at the chance to read it. Bryndza continues to deliver with his Erika Foster series, and, after eight novels, I am still captivated by all that Foster has to offer and I’m left wanting more!
February 8, 2024
*** Happy Publication Day ***
I enjoy Robert Bryndza's Kate Marshall and Erika Foster murder mystery series, and this Erika Foster offering is one of the best so far.
Erika stumbles upon a murdered politician who is hog-tied and suffocated, but before she can get her team together, she is taken off the case, and the death is quickly ruled as natural causes. When another high-profile victim is found, killed in the same manner, Erika digs in her heels and battles upper management to take charge of the case. During her investigation, she uncovers another similar killing, and the hunt for the serial killer is on. The only thing known about the perpetrator is that she is a sex worker who leaves explicit photos at each crime scene, signed "Annabelle." What she looks like, and her motivation is another mystery the team needs to solve to catch the killer before she strikes again.
As usual, Bryndza does an excellent job of plotting and pacing to keep up the tension throughout the book. The reader follows Erika and Annabelle in their cat-and-mouse game, with Annabelle seemingly one step ahead. The more I got to know Annabelle, the more I was rooting for her--odd, I know, but she is so well drawn it was hard not to. Although this is the eighth book in the series, there are sufficient details to read this as a standalone and not feel lost. However, I recommend reading the entire series because it is so good.
4.5/5 stars.
Thank you, NetGalley and Raven Street Publishing, for furnishing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. The publication date is February 8, 2024.
I enjoy Robert Bryndza's Kate Marshall and Erika Foster murder mystery series, and this Erika Foster offering is one of the best so far.
Erika stumbles upon a murdered politician who is hog-tied and suffocated, but before she can get her team together, she is taken off the case, and the death is quickly ruled as natural causes. When another high-profile victim is found, killed in the same manner, Erika digs in her heels and battles upper management to take charge of the case. During her investigation, she uncovers another similar killing, and the hunt for the serial killer is on. The only thing known about the perpetrator is that she is a sex worker who leaves explicit photos at each crime scene, signed "Annabelle." What she looks like, and her motivation is another mystery the team needs to solve to catch the killer before she strikes again.
As usual, Bryndza does an excellent job of plotting and pacing to keep up the tension throughout the book. The reader follows Erika and Annabelle in their cat-and-mouse game, with Annabelle seemingly one step ahead. The more I got to know Annabelle, the more I was rooting for her--odd, I know, but she is so well drawn it was hard not to. Although this is the eighth book in the series, there are sufficient details to read this as a standalone and not feel lost. However, I recommend reading the entire series because it is so good.
4.5/5 stars.
Thank you, NetGalley and Raven Street Publishing, for furnishing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. The publication date is February 8, 2024.
February 7, 2024
Relentless, intricate, and addictive!
Lethal Vengeance is an unnerving, action-packed thrill ride featuring the tenacious DCI Erika Foster and her loyal, hardworking team as they work together once again to hunt a cold, calculating female serial killer driven by a strong need for retribution and a penchant for rope and polaroid photos.
The writing is brisk and intense. The characters are meticulous, persistent, and impulsive. And the plot is a gripping, sinister whodunit full of twists, turns, lies, deception, revelations, obsession, depravity, abuse, violence, and murder.
Overall, Lethal Vengeance is an intricate, riveting, absorbing police procedural by an author, Robert Bryndza, who creates characters I can’t get enough of and juicy, disturbing stories that always suck me in and leave me shocked, surprised, highly entertained, and extremely satisfied. The Detective Erika Foster series is one of my all-time favourite series, and it has been and continues to be a must-read series for me since I stumbled across book one, The Girl in the Ice, way back in 2016.
Thank you to Robert Bryndza for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Lethal Vengeance is an unnerving, action-packed thrill ride featuring the tenacious DCI Erika Foster and her loyal, hardworking team as they work together once again to hunt a cold, calculating female serial killer driven by a strong need for retribution and a penchant for rope and polaroid photos.
The writing is brisk and intense. The characters are meticulous, persistent, and impulsive. And the plot is a gripping, sinister whodunit full of twists, turns, lies, deception, revelations, obsession, depravity, abuse, violence, and murder.
Overall, Lethal Vengeance is an intricate, riveting, absorbing police procedural by an author, Robert Bryndza, who creates characters I can’t get enough of and juicy, disturbing stories that always suck me in and leave me shocked, surprised, highly entertained, and extremely satisfied. The Detective Erika Foster series is one of my all-time favourite series, and it has been and continues to be a must-read series for me since I stumbled across book one, The Girl in the Ice, way back in 2016.
Thank you to Robert Bryndza for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 30, 2024
3,5*
Os livros do Bryndza são sempre rápidos de ler e interessantes.
Mais uma história boa, e aquele final deixou a pensar se vem referência a este no próximo livro..
Aguardo.
Gostei e recomendo
Os livros do Bryndza são sempre rápidos de ler e interessantes.
Mais uma história boa, e aquele final deixou a pensar se vem referência a este no próximo livro..
Aguardo.
Gostei e recomendo
January 21, 2024
Finished reading: January 20th 2024
"Fear was the greatest weapon you could use to control someone."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Raven Street Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
December 5, 2023
Back with the formidable Erika Foster. This is book 8 in this series and I have to say that to get the best out of the series you should read them in order.
Detective Erika Foster
1. The Girl in the Ice (2016)
2. The Night Stalker (2016)
3. Dark Water (2016)
4. Last Breath (2017)
5. Cold Blood (2017)
6. Deadly Secrets (2018)
7. Fatal Witness (2022)
8. Lethal Vengeance (2024)
Another superb read. This series of books just gets better. Once started this book is so difficult to put down. It brings out that, Want, that need to carry on reading. A storyline that is interesting and realistic. A cat and mouse game to catch a killer.
Gripping and thoroughly recommended.
Detective Erika Foster
1. The Girl in the Ice (2016)
2. The Night Stalker (2016)
3. Dark Water (2016)
4. Last Breath (2017)
5. Cold Blood (2017)
6. Deadly Secrets (2018)
7. Fatal Witness (2022)
8. Lethal Vengeance (2024)
Another superb read. This series of books just gets better. Once started this book is so difficult to put down. It brings out that, Want, that need to carry on reading. A storyline that is interesting and realistic. A cat and mouse game to catch a killer.
Gripping and thoroughly recommended.
January 5, 2024
This is book #8 in the Detective Erika Foster series. While I have not read them all, the author provides enough background for you to just jump into the series and enjoy it right away.
The story begins with Erika finding a dead body, politician Neville Lomas. His death is ruled that of natural causes but two months later a prominent footballer is found murdered in the same fashion and they must face the possibility a serial killer is on the loose. The case becomes even more strange when CCTV reveals five female suspects, all look alikes and one of them could be the killer.
As usual, this one was fast moving with lots of action and twists. Erika is such an interesting character who likes to veer off script and I enjoyed the second POV running through this one too. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Raven Street Publishing for this gifted review copy.
The story begins with Erika finding a dead body, politician Neville Lomas. His death is ruled that of natural causes but two months later a prominent footballer is found murdered in the same fashion and they must face the possibility a serial killer is on the loose. The case becomes even more strange when CCTV reveals five female suspects, all look alikes and one of them could be the killer.
As usual, this one was fast moving with lots of action and twists. Erika is such an interesting character who likes to veer off script and I enjoyed the second POV running through this one too. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Raven Street Publishing for this gifted review copy.
January 27, 2024
4.5⭐ This book is part of a series (book 8) and my first book by Bryndza. I haven't read the others, and I feel like this can be read as a standalone. I enjoyed this police procedural. Detective Erika Foster comes across a murder of a politician while out for Dinner. The case is quickly closed by the higher ups! Then another murder of a football player happens, Erika is on the case to find the murderer. You get chapters told by the murderer, who is fueled by revenge. While reading, there were times where I could actually empathize with the murderer. I found this book to be very suspenseful and intriguing and the plot was fast paced and very gripping. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more books in this series.
Out February 8.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Out February 8.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
March 22, 2024
4.5 stars 🤩
This is my second Detective Erika Foster book and she’s fast becoming one of my favourite female detective characters.
She’s a strong female protagonist absolutely committed to her role of uncovering truth and justice. She doesn’t shy away from authority or pushing boundaries where both her work and personal life are involved. Add in a serial killer on the loose on London’s streets and were have a winner.
This is such a solid, compelling police procedural. I cannot wait to read more from him! Highly recommended.
This is my second Detective Erika Foster book and she’s fast becoming one of my favourite female detective characters.
She’s a strong female protagonist absolutely committed to her role of uncovering truth and justice. She doesn’t shy away from authority or pushing boundaries where both her work and personal life are involved. Add in a serial killer on the loose on London’s streets and were have a winner.
This is such a solid, compelling police procedural. I cannot wait to read more from him! Highly recommended.
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